LIMAN ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WFLA) — The arrest of an 18-year-old Florida man has police believing he may have stopped a potential serial killer on his trail.

PortSt. Lucie Police Department on Wednesday in Port St. He said Omarion Ivory of St. Lucie was arrested for the murder of 67-year-old Francis Gennacem. The arrest warrant was issued in St. Louis, where Ivory had been held since his previous arrest on Sept. 20. Lucie County Jail.

Tampa man arrested for planting two explosives at Seminole Hard Rock Casino

The victim was found dead right in front of his home on the morning of September 12. When Gennace didn’t show up for work for several days, her co-workers requested a benefits check.

Gennace had approximately 45 stab wounds to his head and neck, according to the arrest report. He had a 4-inch knife with him. Police said another knife was found in the bedroom, but it was unclear where the knife came from.

According to officers, Gennace was home alone because his wife was out of town for a few days. She appeared to be cooking dinner when she opened the door and was violently attacked as there were no signs of forced entry.

After authorities reviewed more than 600 hours of neighborhood footage, Ivory was seen canvassing the area on the morning of Sept. 8, walking toward Gennace’s home and leaving the area on a bicycle about 30 minutes later.

On September 20, Ivory was arrested while armed with a hammer, banging on the door of a house where a woman lived alone and peering through the windows. He escaped on a bicycle before being taken into custody.

Pinellas County man brought stuffed animals containing morning-after pills to meet 13-year-old girl for sex

Detectives were able to connect both crimes, which occurred approximately five miles apart. They compared the suspect’s clothes and shoes, his stolen bicycle, and neighborhood security cameras.

“All accounts lead us to believe that Mr. Ivory was possibly preparing to commit a second murder that day,” Deputy Police Chief Leo Niemczyk said at a news conference. “A second random movement and a second person he didn’t know.”

“There may be an undetected serial killer on the loose,” the chief added.

Authorities said Ivory did not know any of his targets personally and there was no known motive.

When detectives seized the guns, it was confirmed that the blood found on the hammer belonged to Gennace. Ivory’s fingerprints were on the knife found next to Gennace’s body, and her shoe size and shoe patterns matched those at the scene.

Former Disney World employee accused of hacking menus and adding profanity

Police believe he acted alone.

The chief said he had a history of arrests as a child, and his family claimed he had a history of paranoid schizophrenia, but this has not been officially confirmed.

Ivory faces charges of first-degree premeditated murder, armed burglary, loitering and prowling, possession of burglary tools, burglary and grand larceny. He remains in prison without bail.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Go to WFLA for the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video.